USA > Maine > Supplements to history of the State of Maine > Part 2
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George, Humphrey and John Davie are all mentioned in the history of Maine. The first commenced an early settlement at Wiscasset-point; and in 1663, purchased a considerable terri- tory there of the natives. His dwellinghouse was on the west- erly bank of the river, in the midst of what is now the village. About the time Sheepscot-settlement was destroyed by the In- dians, in 1688, he retired to some older place, for more safety. Humphrey claimed Swan Island in the Kennebec, under an Indian deed, dated 1669. He was a man of some note; being one of the Massachusetts' Commissioners, appointed to estab- lish and organize the county of Devon, or Devonshire, in 1674. That Island of his was afterwards claimed by Sir John Davie, a sergeant at law, who was graduated at Harvard College, in 1681, and at length became the inheritor of a large estate in England, from which he derived the title of baronet, and upon which he afterwards resided.
John Davis, a man of very considerable abilities, natural and acquired, and of a military taste and turn of mind, was an inhabitant of York. Taught by experience, that a people's prosperity as well as security, essentially depended upon a methodical and energetic government, he espoused the coales- cence of Maine with Massachusetts, in 1652; and took an inter- ested part in promoting the union. At first he was licensed to keep the town ordinary; and yet during the whole of President Danforth's administration he was one of the Standing Council; and also the successor of Major Pendleton, Deputy-President of Maine, in 1684, and had command of the militia.
Sylvanus Davis first settled at Damariscotta, where he, in 1659 and 1665, purchased considerable lands of three Indian Sagamores. Afterwards, when Clark and Lake had formed an establishment on Arrowsick, he removed to that Island, and be- came their general agent. The place exhibited a flourishing appearance, till the Indian massacre, August 14, 1676; when he was severely wounded and hardly escaped with his life. Within a year or two after peace, he settled on Casco-Neck, Falmouth, and took from President Danforth, a grant of Little Gebeag, and from the town-trustees, a sectional assignment of lots. He was in general highly esteemed; yet his efforts in 1687-8, under Andros' administration, to persuade the people to take from the Governor, new patents of their lands, deducted much from his popularity-as it unfolded a tint of the parasite. Yet in 1690, he had command of Fort Loyal, when the French and Indians, after a most obstinate siege, compelled him to sur-
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render it, and to see every article of capitulation violated, and most of the garrison put to death. He was himself carried to Canada and detained in captivity more than four months. His subsequent residence was in Boston. Being a landholder in the province of Sagadahock, and a man of considerable distinction, he found his name inserted in the Charter of William and Mary, as one of the Council; and by two subsequent elections, he was chosen to fill the same office. He died, in 1703, without issue; leaving his estate to his wife and the daughters of his friend, James English .- See Coll. Mass. His. Soc. 3 series, i. vol. p. 101-102.
Henry Donnel, an inhabitant of York, removed from that town, about 1658, to Jewel's Island, in Casco-bay, on which he resided and had a fishing station, till the commencement of the second Indian war, in 1688. Unable to dwell there longer in safety, he returned to his former residence. His sons were Henry and Samuel,-the latter was one of the Councillors named for Maine, in the Province-charter of 1691, and subse- quently received two elections to the same place.
Rev. Shubael Dummer,* a graduate of Harvard College, in 1656, was ordained at York, to the pastoral office, in 1673; being the first settled minister of that town. His wife was the daughter of Edward Rishworth, Esq., and their dwellinghouse was eastward of the present village, about thirty rods from the seashore. Mr. Dummer was a serious godly man, devoted to his charge, and if not eloquent, he was a sound and interesting preacher. At the time of his settlement, so small in number were his brethren in the ministry, that he of necessity preached his own ordination sermon. His faithful labors and ardent zeal for his people's good, through a period of nineteen years, mu- tually endeared them to each other, and rendered the circum- stances of their final separation highly painful. For on the fatal morning of Feb. 5, 1692, when the Indians made an assault upon the town, burning, killing and plundering, he was shot dead at his own door. His lovely and excellent wife, who was carried into captivity, soon died of suffering and grief. Mr. Dummer was in the 56th or 7th year of his age ;- and accord-
* His father was Richard Dummer of Newbury, born 1591, came to New-England in 1632, lived first in Roxbury and was an Assistant 1640 and 1645; and then removed to the former place. His sons were Shubael, Jeremiah, Richard, and William who was father of Lieutenant-Governor, William Dummer. Shubael was born February 17, 1636; commenced preaching at York in 1662.
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ing to Doct. Mather, his heart was touched, like the prophet's lips, as with 'a live coal from the altar.'
THOMAS DANFORTH, born at Framlingham in Suffolk, Eng- land, A. D. 1622, emigrated with his father, Nicholas Danforth, to New-England, in 1634 and settled in Cambridge. He was admitted freeman in 1643; chosen a representative of his town in 1657-8, an Assistant first in 1659, afterwards being a mem- ber of the Board 20 years. He was Deputy-governor from 1679 to 1686, inclusive, and again after the revolution, he filled the same office three years, and once he came within 61 votes of being elected governor. He was a man of unquestionable in- tegrity and great firmness; a high-toned republican of the old school; and acted a distinguished part in public affairs. Sub- sequently to the purchase of Maine, he was appointed by the General Court of Massachusetts, or rather by the Board of Assistants, May 11, 1681, (new style) the President of the Province, an office he filled till the Charter of William and Mary was received; except during the interruptions, occasioned by the short administration of Dudley and Andros. Though his established residence was in Cambridge, he repaired frequently to the Province, while at the head of its government; and some- times continued his visit for weeks. He was a great favorite of the people and a coadjutor with Gookin, Cooke and others in opposing the acts of trade and in vindicating chartered rights, against every encroachment of arbitrary power. Hence he ren- dered himself obnoxious to the British politicians, and conse- quently, his name was not allowed to be inserted in the Prov- ince-charter, (in 1691,) as one of the Council. But in the organization of government, he was appointed one of the Judges on the Supreme Bench-a seat he filled till his death, Nov. 5, 1699, aged 77 years. In evidence of his intelligence and correct judgment, he pointedly condemned the proceedings of the Courts against witchcraft, as the offspring of delusion. He had 12 children, two of whom were sons, viz. Samuel, graduated at Harvard College, 1671, a distinguished scholar, who died at London, in Dec. 1676, unmarried; and Jonathan, who was graduated at the same College, 1679, and died in 1682, in whom the male line became extinct.
Giles Elbridge was co-proprietor with Robert Aldsworth, alderman of the city-Bristol, England, in their patent of Pema- quid, obtained Feb. 20, 1631. Their particular attention was first turned towards this section of country probably by the views given of it by the celebrated adventurer, Capt. John
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Smith. Having, in 1625, purchased Monhegan, they determined now to improve and enlarge the infant settlements, both on the Island and within the limits of their new patent; and give the planters an established form of civil government. But they labored under a mistake not uncommon in those days, which was, to imagine they could bring into existence a flourishing plantation or colony in the wilderness, without residing upon it, or even visiting it; for neither of the patentees ever so much as saw this country. In a few years, Aldsworth died, when the whole patent enured to Elbridge by survivorship; and hence his sons, John in the first instance, and then Thomas, became sole proprietors of it. The former took it by descent and the latter by his brother's will of Sept. 11, 1646; after which he came over to Pemaquid, dwelt there several years; and at length, by two assignments, dated Feb. 1, 1651, and Sept. 3, 1657, he con- veyed away the whole patent. Still he resided there; and in 1665, came into the court of the king's commissioners and swore allegiance to the Duke of York, as proprietary of Saga- dahock. The property afterwards passing through several hands, ultimately rested in the wife of Shem Drowne, and hence the origin of the "Drowne Claim." While Thomas Elbridge was a resident at Pemaquid, he made grants of land; held courts, tried causes; and punished offences. But still the government exer- cised or formed by him was probably little more than a con- servation of the peace.
Richard Foxwell removed from Scituate and settled at Blue- point in Scarborough, A. D. 1636, when he was 31 years of age. His wife was the daughter of Richard Bonighton. Though he was not a man of very much note, he was well esteemed; he had been a "merchant;" and in 1648 his town sent him a deputy to the General Assembly of Lygonia. He died in 1677, leaving eight children.
Nicholas and Charles Frost, father and son, dwelt at Stur- geon-creek in Kittery; the former being one of the early settlers of that place; and a constable under the Charter-government of Gorges. He lived till the year 1663 .- Charles was one of the most eminent and public spirited men of that age, within the Province. In 1658, and subsequently, he was the representative of his town, five years, in the General Court at Boston; he was a member of the Provincial Council, during the whole of Presi- dent Danforth's administration; he had also command of the Yorkshire Regiment of militia; and at the time he was shot by the Indians, July 4, 1697, he held a seat in the Council and
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upon the Bench of the Common Pleas. His death was very deeply lamented; as it occurred in the height of his usefulness and fame, and at a time when his services were greatly needed.
Roger Garde was an early inhabitant of Agamenticus. Having some knowledge of letters and a good acquaintance with pen- manship, he was appointed in 1640, Provincial Register under the charter-government of Gorges; elected mayor of the city, Gorgeana; and in 1644, promoted to a seat in the Council. But being a warm adherent to the rights and interest of the Lord- proprietor, and a foe to the claim of Massachusetts; he was con- strained to find amid the political changes of his time, that his popularity was hardly commensurate with his life.
Thomas Gardiner, reputed to have been a very worthy man, was an early settler at Pemaquid. In 1665, he was appointed by the king's commissioners, one of the magistrates for the Duke's province; and in 1674, when Devonshire was established by Massachusetts, he was appointed to the same office and also to the command of the militia, in the new county.
Sir Ferdinando, Robert, William, Thomas, and a second Ferdinando Gorges, are all entitled to notice in the early settle- ment of this State. The first, through a period of forty years, greatly interested himself in the discovery, colonization and other affairs of this Eastern Country ;- a biographical sketch of whose character appears in the preceding HISTORY .- Robert, his son, took from the Plymouth Council, Dec. 13, 1622, a patent of lands, 30 miles by 10, about Cape Anne; and in September of the next year, came with several passengers and families to begin a plantation. He had also a commission, as Governor and Lieutenant General of New-England ;- and the habitancy he selected, was at Weymouth. But this, the primary essay to establish a general government, met with no success; and he returned to England at the end of one year .- William Gorges, a nephew of Sir Ferdinando, is said by one to have come over first, in 1624, a companion of Col. Francis Norton- and to have been furnished with "divers workmen for the build- ing of mills and houses and with all things necessary for a set- tlement," at Agamenticus; while another account says, it was Ferdinando, the proprietor's grandson, who came over with Norton. However this may be-William, called Capt. Gorges, was appointed Governor of New-Somersetshire, by his uncle in 1635, soon after the 12 provinces were formed-out of the Grand Patent, and he had taken an assignment. He came over
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early the next spring, and immediately proceeded to measures for the government of the Province. He appointed a Council, held courts at Saco, and exercised an official jurisdiction, about two years before his return. Chalmer says, "he ruled for some years, a few traders and fishermen, with a good sense, equal to the importance of the trust."-Thomas Gorges, the cousin of Sir Ferdinando, arrived in the Province of Maine during the spring of 1640; bringing with him from the Lord-proprietor a commission of Deputy-governor. He opened his court at Saco, which had regular sessions ;- giving to his administration the characteristics of energy, justice and considerable system. He was a man of pure principles, and very handsome abilities,- grave in his deportment and by profession a lawyer; having pur- sued and finished his course of legal studies at the Inns of Court in Westminster. He returned home in 1643, when his commis- sion expired, though the Lord-proprietor gave him some large tracts of land, and pressed upon him every motive, to abide longer time in the Province .- Ferdinando Gorges, Esq. was the son of John Gorges and grandson of the Lord-proprietor. It is said by two writers, that he came over with Col. Norton in 1624, to settle Agamenticus, with "a patent of 12,000 acres on the east side and 12,000 to the west side of the river; and that they had hopes of a happy success." If he did visit this country his abode here was short. Certainly, to him at length, descended the whole provincial patent of Maine; about which he had a controversy with Massachusetts, from 1652 to 1677; when he sold the whole to her for £ 1,250 sterling. His grandfather's History of America painted to the life, enlarged by him and published in 1658, contains many original, rare and curious facts, which will be ever precious to the antiquarian.
Walter Gendell, dwelt at Spurwink, [Cape Elizabeth,] as early as 1666. He was a great fur-trader with the Indians, and sup- posed he had secured their friendship and confidence. But in 1676, being the second year of king Philip's war, they made him prisoner at Richmond Island, and carried him to Penob- scot; where in a few months, he was set at liberty, under Mugg's treaty, and conveyed to Boston by Capt. More. Being convicted of having had a treacherous intercourse with the Natives, he was sentenced to forfeit his lands, to pay costs of prosecution, to run the "gauntlet" through the military companies of that town; and then to depart the colony .- He returned into Maine; and it appears, he was afterwards restored to all he had lost; for in 1680, he was one of the Falmouth-commissioners; in 1683, a
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superintendant of Fort Loyal; and the next year, a deputy from that town to the General Assembly, under the administration of President Danforth. He was also one of the trustees, in the re- grant or revival of North-Yarmouth; at which place he was killed by the Indians, in August, 1688, being among the very first that fell, in the second Indian war. He left no child but some property.
Edward Godfrey, came over about the year, 1629, and took from Sir Ferdinando Gorges, John Mason, and their associates, an agency for the management of their affairs at the Piscataqua. Captivated with the situation of Agamenticus-plantation, begun by his friends, Col. Norton and young Ferdinando Gorges, he concluded to settle there; and it is said, he built one of the first framed houses, ever erected in the place. He became interested in two considerable tracts of land in the vicinity ;- one was a grant on the north side of Agamenticus-river, which Sir Ferdi- nando made, Dec. 1, 1631, to him and three associates,-Wil- liam Hooke, his neighbor, Samuel Maverick, of Noddle's Island, and William Jefferies, of Weymouth; the other was a lease-hold of. 1,500 acres, on the northerly side of Cape Neddock Creek, which Gorges granted, in 1638, to Mr. Godfrey, his son Oliver and Richard Rowe, conditioned to pay an annual quitrent of 2s. on every one hundred acre lot. Mr. Godfrey was a man of zeal and perseverance in every enterprize he undertook; and such was his character and conduct,-such his untiring efforts to promote the settlement and best interests of this plantation- and so much was he a favorite of the Lord-proprietor, as to secure entirely his confidence and esteem, and merit the honor of being appointed by him, in 1640, an original member of his Charter-council. In fact, he had previously belonged to the board of Assistants under William Gorges; and in 1642, he was Mayor of the city Gorgeana. He manfully resisted Col. Rigby's claim to Lygonia till there was a decision in his favor; after which, he succeeded Mr. Vines, in 1646, as Governor of what remained to Sir Ferdinando-an office which he filled, with credit to himself, for several years. During a part of that period, commencing with 1649, when it was understood that John Gorges, the heir to the Province, was disinclined to assume the government of it, the inhabitants formed a "Combination," under the Charter, and annually elected Mr. Godfrey, Gov- ernor, by voting at town meeting, in manner of elections, pur-
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sued by the freemen of Massachusetts. With great spirit, he opposed the jurisdictional claim, which that Colony raised to Maine, till Kittery and Agamenticus were induced to submit, in 1652 ;- then he yielded to constraint and took the oath of allegi- ance, to her government. Disposed still to conciliate him and his partisans, her commissioners immediately appointed him town and county commissioner; and the next year, the provin- cials elected him senior associate upon the bench of the county- court. He died about the year, 1661 or 2, highly esteemed for his firmness intelligence and integrity.
Peter and Joseph Hill, have been noticed in the early history of this State. The former, who resided in Saco, was a deputy to the General Assembly of Lygonia, in 1648; and a short time, one of Mr. Cleaves' Assistants. Nevertheless, he submitted to Massachusetts, in 1653, and his useful life was prolonged to the year, 1667 .- Joseph Hill, his grandson, whose father's name was Roger, was born, in 1671, married Joseph Bowles' daughter of Wells, and in 1689, settled in that town. Still, when Fort Mary, at Saco, was erected, in 1693, he was appointed one of the two superintendants. He was a brave man; and being com- mander of the militia-company, in Wells, was probably singled out by the enemy, in their attack upon the place, in August, 1703; for he was, at that time, taken and carried a captive to Canada. Two years afterward, he was sent by the Governor of that province, to effect an exchange of prisoners; who reported on his return home, that there were "with the French 114 cap- tives, besides 70 with the Indians." His grandson, Joseph Hill, of the same town, was 29 years a member of the Council, and 13, a judge of the Common Pleas.
William and Francis Hooke [or Hook] were probably kin- dreds, though it is not ascertained in what degree. The former, an emigrant from Bristol in England, became associated with Edward Godfrey, in a purchase made at Agamenticus, A. D. 1631, and finally settled there. He was one of the first Charter- councillors under Gorges, when the administration was framed, in 1640; but he never took his seat at the Board. Marrying about that time the widow of Capt. Walter Norton, he removed to Salisbury, Mass. from which was sent a deputy to the General Court, in 1643 and 7, and where he died, in 1654; leaving a widow without any children; Mr. Winthrop speaks of him, as 'a godly gentleman.'
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Francis Hooke is first introduced to us as a pious man and preacher of the gospel. He selected his place of abode at Winter- harbor, in Saco, where mention is made of him in 1660. In- flexibly attached as he was, to the interests of Gorges, in belief that his right was well-founded, he was appointed a Justice, both under Archdale in 1663-4, and by the king's Commission- ers in 1665. For a period, his acceptance of these offices, in connexion with his political sentiments, might have rendered him unpopular among the partizans of Massachusetts; yet so entirely had he regained the public esteem in 1680, as to be appointed first County-treasurer under Pres. Danforth's admin- istration, and a member of the Council during the whole period of his presidency. He seems to have had the singular good for- tune of a very few public men, that is-to be popular with all parties. For in 1692 and 3, he was a member of the Province- council under the Charter of William and Mary, a judge of Pro- bate two years, and also a judge upon the bench of the Common Pleas. He removed to Kittery before the commencement of the 2d Indian war, where he died in January 1695. In a word, such was Francis Hooke, that none other at that age in the Province was more public spirited and highly useful-none better beloved.
Hutchinson was a distinguished name in Massachusetts and this State, from the early settlement of the country, to the war of the Revolution. William Hutchinson was an emigrant to Boston, as early as 1634, and the husband of the famous Anne Hutchinson,* the "Antinomian." He died in 1642; and his son Edward, a brave military officer, lost his life in a battle with the Indians in King Philip's war. Actuated by a spirit of specu- lation or perhaps thoughts of removal, the same Edward, in 1673, two years before his death, purchased of William Phillips of Saco, considerable tracts of land, on the westerly side of the river in that place; at the same time owning mills at Newicha- wannock, burnt two years afterwards by the Indians. In 1676, Mr. Phillips distributed among his children and donces, the extensive territory, which he had purchased of the Sagamores, several years before, embracing the present Sandford, Alfred and Waterborough; when one share became the property of Elisha Hutchinson's wife, who was Mrs. Phillips' daughter, by a former husband, John Sandford, Esquire, of Rhode Island.
* After her husband's death, she removed to the Dutch Country, (N. Y.); and in 1643, she and all her family, except one daughter, being 16 persons, were killed by the Indians.
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The said Elisha, grandson of the above William, and son of Edward, was a very distinguished man, representative of Bos- ton, in 1680-3; Assistant, in 1684, 5 and 6; Chief-commander of the Massachusetts' militia, a charter-member of the Council in 1692; and being a freeholder in Maine, in right of his wife, and perhaps otherwise, he was elected for that province, to a seat at the same Board two successive years, 1708 and 9. He died, in 1717, at the age of 78. His son Thomas, who died, in Dec. 1739, was father of the GOVERNOR* AND HISTORIAN of Massachusetts .- Eliakim Hutchinson, another son of Edward, seems to have inherited his father's estate at Saco; in virtue of which as a prerequisite qualification, required by Charter, he was chosen for Maine, into the Council, in 1695; receiving in all 21 elections. He died in 1718, in the 77th year of his age. His son, Edward Hutchinson, was elected a member of the Board for the same Province, in 1725-6; being a landholder, either as heir or devisee of the Saco estate, which, however, he sold in 1750, to a Mr. Allen for £1,200.
George Ingersol, born in 1618, was the son of Richard Inger- sol, who emigrated in 1629, from Bedfordshire, England, to Salem, Massachusetts. The residence of George at Back-cove, Falmouth, in 1657, is the first notice of him recollected. His military talents and taste, procured his promotion, in 1668, to the command of the town militia company,-an office he filled with much reputation to himself, through the first Indian war. In 1683 and 5, he was sent by his town, a representative to the General Assembly, under President Danforth's administration; but before the second Indian war, he removed to Salem, where he died, in 1694; leaving two sons,-George, who was Ship- wrecked, and Samuel, who settled at Stroudwater.
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